(Episode 15) Souls Adrift… A Story of Misplaced Priority!

(Episode 15) Souls Adrift... A Story of Misplaced Priority!

They sat at a corner right in front of the air conditioner which blew cool air to their faces inside Chicken Republic which was just a stone throw from the beer parlour. She ordered for a plate of fried rice and grilled chicken without even asking him, she knew he was hungry.

Andre: “Thanks for the food” he said after they had both eaten and their plates cleared from the table except for the juice which was still left unopened.

Jessica: “You are welcome”

Andre: “So what exactly can I do for you? Do you know me from somewhere?” he had to ask when she wasn’t making any attempt to speak up.

Jessica: “Yeah, from the beer parlour down the road” she said and smiled, making him look away rom her.

Andre: “Funny”

Jessica: “I can tell. Well In order to quell your curiosity, I overheard bits of your discussion with your friend and it seemed like he wanted you to do something illegal with him. I heard the part where you said you are desperate but you won’t do something that heinous. I was impressed”

Andre: “Oh thank you. I didn’t know anyone was listening to us”

Jessica: “Yes someone was and I just couldn’t help it. So what do you do exactly?”

Andre: “I have no job. I just recently resigned from my teaching job thinking the guy had something tangible to offer”

Jessica: “So you are a graduate?”

Andre: “Sure. I read accountancy. Right now I am a qualified chartered accountant. I did ICAN two years ago but since then, I haven’t been able to secure any good job in that field”

Jessica: “That is too bad. I thought as much. You looked a little different from those in the bar. You look kind of polished, im not talking of your looks now though”

Andre: “Ehn ehn? I always thought I was handsome?”

Jessica: “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” she said and gave him a tongue out and they both laughed. “Well I can offer you a job if you want”

Andre: “Of course I want” he replied quickly.

Jessica: “Be patient and hear me out first before you jump into conclusion. This must be how you jumped into your friend’s ill-idea of a company too” she pouted her lips.

Andre: “Okay do not be angry. I am listening”

Jessica: “I have a car I am not using right now. I can lease it out to you to register for uber driving with. I will be getting 10% of the money you make from it every weekend”

Andre: “10%?” his eyes almost pooped out of their sockets.

Jessica: “Yes or is it too much?”

Andre: “No o. It’s quite small is why i am surprised”

Jessica: “Well you need the money more than I do. That 10% is just to ensure you stick around since I like you quite much. A least I will get to be seeing you every weekend when you bring the money but don’t ever think of running away with my car o. My father is an army colonel and I am a lawyer myself. My two brothers are both in the DSS so be careful. We can fish you out from the tinniest holes” she said with all seriousness.

Andre: “Oh my! I am scared”

Jessica: “Yes you should be”

===

Mary: “Oya open your mouth o abi what kind of wahala is this? Is opening your mouth that difficult?” she poured the hot tea in his mouth carelessly making the boy jump in pain. His already blistered tongue was getting scalded too. Kemi sat at a corner watching the whole thing. She still had the food she remained for her brother with her and clutched the flask protectively. Her aunt had wanted to make a scene but the officers had thrown her out mercilessly when Mary called on them. When she could not take the whole thing anymore, she walked over to the two of them.

Kemi: “Bring the tea, I will feed him myself” she said boldly.

Mary: “ehn ehn? See me see trouble o. You will feed him? You who cannot even feed yourself properly yet?”

Kemi: “Yes I will feed him”

Mary: “Honey did you hear that? She said she will feed him o. I have done my best” she called out to her husband who was in the room.

Joseph: “Then let her” he replied.

She handed the tea to him and sat down to watch how she was going to do it.

Kemi: “Abbey open your mouth you hear? It is not hot, see” she blew air on it as long as she could, put the spoon to her lips the way she had seen her mother do while feeding her pap to check if the content in the spoon was still hot or not and extended it back to him again.

“It is no longer hot. Oya open your mouth, you need to eat so we can go back to school. Your aunty keep asking of you everyday” she cajoled him. He opened his mouth slowly and she fed him the tea then scooped another.

Mary: “Ehhhhh…hmmmm. It’s okay. I guess I’m irrelevant to you two right?”

Kemi: “Abbey is a good boy hiya hiya ooo” she sang as her brother continued to drink the tea without hesitating anymore.

Mary: “Hai. I have suffered” she exclaimed clapping her hands together.

Kemi: “Abbey aunty Keji came here today and she brought food for us. I remained for you. Should I bring it?” she asked happily when her brother was done with the tea but he shook his head.

Abiodun: “We will eat it tomorrow” he said with difficulty. He knew tomorrow was another day for them; he had to make plans for it.

Kemi: “but it will spoil” she quickly stood up, went over to the freezer and kept the food flask inside it then returned to her brother.

Mary: “Who said you can drop your rotting food inside my fridge?” she stood up sharply, Kemi went after her.

Kemi: “Daddy. She wants to pour our food away again” she complained loudly enough for him to hear even in his dreams.

Joseph: “She will not do that. Mary don’t do that and you people should allow me to rest”

Mary: “Dont worry little girl, aunty don’t do something as cheap as that” she replied to her husband’s hearing. To him, she was the saint while his children were the little demons. She intended to keep things that way.

===

While in her shop one day, she heard commotion inside the church and went in to check what was amiss. She found out the church safe had been broken into and the ushers could not find the money they had kept in it.

Pastor: “What happened to giving the money to Pastor Igwe?” he asked the head usher who was visibly shaking from head to toe.

Head Usher: “he was absent from service on Sunday including Tuesday service so we had to keep the money there”

Pastor: “So who knew you kept the money there?”

Head Usher: “I can’t say sir. Just I and the assistant head usher” he said gesturing towards his assistant.

Mummy Lebechi suddenly burst in.

Mummy Lebechi: “I heard you guys are looking for money? Please ask this woman here” she said pointing at Morenike.

Morenike: “What are you talking about?”

Pastor: “Yes what are you talking about?”

Mummy Lebechi: “I saw her coming out of the church holding a bundle behind her back some hours ago. I thought she looked suspicious by the look on her face but it’s clear to me now, it might be the money. Let’s ask her properly, she once told me she was desperate to get money for her school and to get her children back. This might be as a result of her desperation”

Pastor: “Is that true madam?” he asked Morenike with a look of disappointment on his face.

Morenike: “It is not true sir, you know I will never do anything like that” she defended herself. Everyone was already looking at her accusingly.

Mummy Lebechi: “Then let’s search her shop” she suggested.

Question: Will they find the money in her shop? We all know she is innocent but will they believe her?

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Me: “ah Mrs Nnamdi, what a surprise, where have you been all these while?” i replied nervously, wondering what could be going through the woman’s mind as she stood before Comfort and I. Mrs Nnamdi: […]

She is a fool for given her keys to her she has seen it all now, yes the money will be found in her shop, but she knew nothing about it, they may not believe her, but one day, the truth will surely come out.

They will find the money in her shop no matter What she Says they won’t believe her that mummy lebechi is a very wicked woman she just been jelious of morenike she is the one that kept the money in morenike’s shop

Off course they will find money in her shop which is that mummy Lebechi stole the money and put it in her shop bcos she now has her key so that she will implicate her, she want them to pursue her from there so that she will occupy the shop. Yes they will believe mummy lebechi but within pastor’s mind he’s very sure she didn’t do it but let’s see what will happen….